Fruiting fuschia

can anyone recommend a fruiting fuschia that is ok for growing outside in a pot ?

 

Most of mine produce fruit, in fact I would say nearly all of the big flowered varieties will produce them easily.
If you want to grow them outside in a pot, I would take the pot into a shed, or somewhere frost free for the winter, because if the compost in the pot freezes during an exceptionally cold spell, it will kill the Fuchsia.

 

I thought they all fruited but the palettability of them varies from plant to plant. I've tried fuchsia boliviana, which isn't hardy, as it's supposed to be one of the nicest tasting but I wouldn't bother growing it for the fruit. All the fuchsias I've tasted haven't been particularly appetising.
If it's just for a display then there are plenty you could try if you have a fairly sheltered spot.

 

Thanks the but the pot is staying outside. I guess as long as the fruit is edible its OK but i would prefer it if it tastes nice. Also i dont want one that will grow too big

When you say a fuschia is not hardy will it regrow after it dies in cold weather ?

 

Some varieties will regrow after the winter as long as their roots are protected from freezing, however if the compost in the pot freezes hard in a very cold spell the Fuchsia will die. That's why it is best to put them in shelter or in a frost-free shed/greenhouse.
The so called 'hardy' ones are only hardy in the ground where their roots are deep and don't get frosted. If there's a hard winter and the the stems die, these varieties will regrow from the roots or buried stems.
It depends where you live, mine rarely die down to the ground because we seldom get extremely hard winters. And even in a cold spell they survive because I plant them in a sheltered spot.

 

Depends where you are currently abiding in the country as many are not frost hardy especially if the pot freezes.
As far as fruit I've tried most of mine and though edible and sweetish there is no real flavour.
Also you say you don't want it to be too big so obviously you will get less fruit than from a bigger plant.

 

I've tried the fruits on a few occasions and my advice would be, not to bother, just look at the flowers.

 

Do the fruits of Fuchsias have some special properties we do not know about, that would make you eat them even if not tasting particulalry good ?

Frost can kill off the top growth of many Hardy Fuchsias but they will reshoot from the ground, but if the roots in the ground or pot are badly frosted and die , then its dead.

Have a look at the RHS site which lists hardy Fuchias and their Hardiness rating.
As said some rough idea of where you are and what size Height and Width of plant you want, though many can be trained to be kept small.

Fuchsia 'Mrs Popple' | fuchsia 'Mrs Popple' Shrubs/RHS

How to grow hardy fuchsias / RHS Gardening

 

An eye opener for us. Never knew that that you could (if you wanted to) eat the fruits of fuchsias. Interesting thread.

 

I dont want it to grow taller or wider than one metre and will probably use the fruit to make jam . The flowers are interesting but the main purpose is for the fruit . Its definitely not going inside

 

you can eat the flowers also. put them in a salad to make it pretty

One i saw is called Walz Jubelteen which has flowers that point upwards instead of dangling. very unusual for a fuschia. but also a bit gaudy

for taste probably a fragrant one if hardy fragrant fuschias exist. you can eat quite a few flowers but im not sure which are actually flavourful. In the caucuses they make lilac flowers into a syrup which probably tastes good

 

I don't see why you can't put it in a shed or somewhere sheltered for the winter. If you want a plant to produce fruit you have to look after it, but if you don't I'm afraid you won't get fruit and then you won't be able to make jam.
It's the same with any plant, to get what you want (fruit, vegetables, flowers, colourful leaves, or anything else) you have to look after it.

 

I just wonder, surely you are going to need an acre of Fuschia to make a couple of pots of jam.

 

Found this.
Recommended Fuchsias for tasty fruit include F. splendens, F. Karl Hedwig, F. corymbifolia, F.
excorticata aka Kotukutuku, F. magellanica especially cultivars 'Globosa' and 'Tresco', F.procumbens and F. venusta.
No idea about hardiness apart from F magellenica which should be hardy in most of the UK.
For jam you need about 1.5 lb of fruit, and for jelly a cupful of berries and a cupful of flowers.

 

I agree, I find them rather like pomegranate seeds, with more flesh but less flavour. The last one I tried had a bitter aftertaste.